Regulator system



Sept. 14 1926.

J. H. ASHBAUGH REGULATOR SYSTEM Filed Oct. 4, 1924 kitty-ES: Z

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 14, 1926. i

PATENT, OFFICE- UNITED STATES some HARVEY asnnauen, or wrnxrnsnono, rnnnsvnvanm, ASSIGNOR T was]:- INGHoUsE ELECTRIC a MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION or PENN- SYLVANIA.

REGULATOR SYSTEM.

Application and amber 4.1924. Serial No. 741,644.

My invention relates to regulator systems and. more particularly to means for providing over-voltage protection in case of sticking or freezing of the relay" contact members.

6 In regulator systems wherein a vibratory regulator is used to control the effective value of the exciter field-circuit resistor by causing a resistor-shunting relay to vibrate in accordance with the operation of the regulator,

10 'difliculty is sometimes experienced bystick ing or freezing of the relay contact members. This difiiculty is more likely to occur in systems of such type as to make it necessary to carry relatively heavy currents through the rela contact members.

S ould the relay contact members stick, thus maintaining a short-circuit of the exciter-fieldcircuit resistor, the field excitation and delivered voltage of the main maabnormally high machine voltage may become sufiicient to burn out or injure apparatus connected to the line that is energized from the main machine. Moreover, under these conditions, the re lator has no efiect in controlling the line cireuit characteristics.

One object of my invention, therefore is to provide means for preventing excessive voltage from occurring on the main power line.

Another object of my invention isto proof the operation of the regulator, due to freezing of the relay contact members. Other objects of my invention will appear from a5the following descri tion.

My invention is erein described as applied to a system that regulates to maintain constant generator volta e. Obviously,my' invention may be applie to a system current generator 1, having an armature winding 2 and a field-winding 3, is connected to supply a power circuit 45-'6. The field-winding 3 is energized from an exeiter 7, having an armature windin 8, a fieldwinding 9, anda resistor 11 in the fieldwinding circuit.

chine will be abnormally increased. This vide means for preventing the interruption A voltage regulator 12 is provided, having a control magnet 13 and a vibrating magnet 14 that are respectively provided with windings 15 and 16, which are connected to a. transformer 17 so as to be energized from the power circuit. The regulator contact members 20 are operated in accordance with the energization of the windings 15 and 16 in a well-known manner to govern the operation of relays 23, 24 and 25 by controlling the energization of their respective windings 18,

which actuate the corresponding armatures 19 against the action'of spring members 21,

thereby closing-the corresponding set of contact members 22. The relay 25 operates as an anti-hunting device for the regulator 12, intermittently short-circuiting a resistor 26 in circuit with the Winding 16.

A switch 27 is provided, having two opera-- tive positions. This switch comprises a holding coil 28 for normally holding the switch arm 29 in the position illustrated in the drawing and maintaining engagement of the contact members 31 only. A differentially wound coil 32 is connected to neutralize the effect of the holding coil 28 and is connected in series relation with an operating coil 33.

When the coils 32 and 33 are energized, the switch is operated to its second position, interrupting the engagement of contact members 31 and effecting engagement ofthe pairs of contact members 34, 35 and 36, respectively. A voltage relay 37 is provided, having an armature 38 that is actuated against the tensionof a spring member 39 to cause the engagement of contact members 41. The

armature 38 is connected to a core member 42, which is energized by a winding 43 that is connected to the secondary winding of the transformer 17.

The operation of the regulator is as follows: The regulator 12 is energized in accordance with the voltage of the power line 4-5-6, for operating the contact members 20, which, in turn, efiect actuation of" the relays 23, 24 and 25. In the position of switch 27 illustrated in the drawing, the relay 23 operates to intermittently shortcireuit the resistor 11 by completing a circuit through conductor 44, contact members 22 and 31 and conductor 45.

Thisoperation is the normal operation for the system and will continue unless the contact members 22 of the relay 23 should stick, thus refusing to open the short-circuit around the resistor 11. In this condition, the

exciter 7 would build up a high volt-age, thus forcing the excitation of the generator field winding 3 above its proper value and increasing the voltage supplied from the generator to the power circuit.

It the power circuit voltage increases above a predetermined value, the voltage relay 37 operates to close contact members l1, thus operating the switch 27 to its second position, as previously described. Under these conditions, engagement of contact members 36, which are in parallel-circuit relation to contact members 4.1, ensures the i'i'iaintaining of the switch 27 in its second position. In this second position, the contact members 31 are disengaged, thus interrupting the shunt circuit through the relay while contact members 3% and will JO enga ed, thus completing a circuit from the res tor 11 through conductors 46, elT and and the contact members 22 of the relay 2%. The relay 24 then continues to govern the effective value of the resistor 11, in accordance with the operation of the regulator 12, in the same manner as relay 23 previously.

To reset the device, after the contact members of the relay 23 have been separated and cleaned, it is only necessary to move the switch 27 to its first position, that is to the position illustrated in the drawing.

Many modifications may be made in the system and apparatus described as an embodiment of my invention, within the spiritl'hcreoil, and I do not wish to be limited other than by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim as my invention.

1. In a regulator system, a power circuit, a dynamo-electric machine connected to said power circuit and provided with a field winding, a regulator actuated in accordance with power-circuit conditions, a plurality of relays adapted to be actuated in ace rdance with the operation of said regulutor, means, comprising one of said relays normally operating to control the energization of said field winding, and means actuated in accordance with a predetermined power-circuit condition for transferring the control of the energization of said field winding to another of said relays.

"2. In a regulator system, a power circuit, a dynamo-electric machine connected to said power circuit and provided withafield winding, a regulator actuated in accordance with power-circuit conditions. a plurality or relays adapted to be actuated in accordance with the operation of said regulator, means, comprising one of said relays normally operating to control the energizalion of said field winding, and means operati've upon the 'lailure of said relay for transilerring the control of the energization of said field winding to another of said relays.

3. In a regulator system, a power circuit. a dynamo-electric machine coi'inected to said ower circuit and provided with a l'icld winding, regulator means actuated in accordance with a power circuit charm-tr"- ist-ic, means for energizing said field wind ing and control means theretor adapted to be actuated in accordance with the operation of said regulator means, a second control means, and means actuated in auiordance with a predetermined power-clrcuit. condition for transferring the control of the energization of said field winding from said first-named control means to said second-named control means.

a. In a regulator system, a power circuit. a dynamo-electric machine connected to said power circuit and provided with a field winding, regulator means actuated in accordance with a power-circuit cluiracter'istic, means for energizing said field winding and control means therefor adapted to be actuated in accordance with the operation of said regulator means, a second control means, and means operative upon a failure in the operation of said first-named control means tor transferring the control ot the energization of said field winding from said first-named control means to said secondnamed control means.

In a regulator system, a power circuit, a dynamo-electric machine connected to said power circuit and provided with a field winding, regulator means actuated in accordance with a power-circuit characteristic, a plurality of relays adapted to be oper ated in accordance with the operation of said regulator means, means for energizing said field winding, a control circuit for governing said energizing means and including one of said relays, a second control circuit for governing said energizing means and including another of said relays, means for selecting one of said control circuits to control said field winding. and means operative upon predetermined powencircuit conditions for changing the selection of said control circuits.

(5. In a regulator system, a power circuit, a dynamoelcctric machine connected to said power circuit and provided with a field winding, regulator means actuated in accordance with a power-circuit characteristic, a plurality of relays adapted to he operated in accordance with the operation of said regulator means, means for energizing said field winding, a control circuit for governing said energizing means and including one of said relays, a second control circuit for governing said energizing means and in cluding another of said relays, means for selecting one of said control circuits to control said field winding, and means operative upon the failure of the relay included in the first-named control circuit for transferring the control of said field winding to said second control circuit.

7. In a regulator system, a power circuit, a dynamo-electric machine connected to said power circuit and provided with a field winding, regulator means actuated in accordance with a power-circuit characteristie, a plurality of relays adapted to be operated in accordance with the operation of said regulator means, means for energizing said field winding, a control circuit for governing said energizing means and including one of said relays, a second control circuit for governing said energizing means and including another of said relays, switching means for selecting one of said control circuits to govern said field winding, and

means operative upon abnormal power-circuit conditions for transferring the control of said field winding to said second control circuit. I

8. In a regulator system, a power circuit, a dynamo-electric machine connected to said power circuit and provided with a field winding, regulator means actuated in accordance with the voltage of said power circuit, a plurality of relays adapted to be operated in accordance with the operation of said regulator means, means for energizing said field winding, means for normally connecting one of said relays to control the energization of said field winding, and means operative upon an abnormal rise in power-circuit voltage for connecting another of said relays to control the energization of said field winding.

9. In a regulator system, a power circuit, a dynamo-electric machine connected to said power circuit and provided with a field winding, regulator means actuated in accordance with a power-circuit characteristie, a plurality of relays adapted to he operated in accordance with the operation of said regulator means, means for energizing said field winding, a control circuit for governing said energizing means and including one of said relays, a second control circuit for governing said energizing means and including another of said relays, a double-position switch normally connecting said field winding, and means operative upon an abnormal rise in power circuit voltage for operating said switch to transfer the control ofsaid field winding to said second named control circuit.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this first day of October 1924.

JOHN H. A-SHBAUGH. 

